© MGM 2006

The 24 Hour Museum (24 HM) is pleased to launch its fourth annual Museums and Galleries Month Arts Writing Prize for student journalists.

Museums and Galleries Month (MGM) 2006 runs throughout May 2006 with a host of special events and exhibitions held around the UK in celebration of our great cultural institutions.

The best review or feature about any MGM 2006 event submitted to the 24HM will win a first prize of £250, with two runners up prizes of £50.

Get thee to a museum and get writing! © Jon Pratty/24 Hour Museum

As 24HM Editor Jon Pratty explained, entries are welcome from full or part-time journalism students or those who have recently completed journalistic training, as well as 24 HM volunteer writers, past and present.

"At the 24 Hour Museum we rely on talented student journalists who are interested in arts writing to get out to museums and galleries all over the country and keep us up to date with the latest goings on," said Jon.

"Some student journalists might not think that arts writing is for them, but every year our competition entrants come up with the goods and surprise us with their creativity, skills and some really good stories."

Participants can write about an exhibition during Museum and Galleries Month or an event, or even a workshop but whatever you choose expect to encounter the exquisitely beautiful, unusual, unique, old and sentimental in visits to museums and galleries up and down the country.

Participants can write about an exhibition during Museum and Galleries Month or an event, or even a workshop. © MGM 2006

Entries will be judged by 24 Hour Museum’s judging panel and writers will get the chance to see their work published on the site, which currently welcomes more than 700,000 visitors every month, making it one of the UK’s top cultural websites.

It is 24HM policy to work with student journalists wherever possible, and our network of writers provides the site with a flow of fresh writing from all parts of the UK – an important boost for the small web team based in Brighton.

In return the site offers volunteers as much support and feedback as possible as well as bylines.

Last year 24 HM contributor Helen Barrett won the MGM Arts Writing Prize for her story about her successful attempt to win over her six-year old son to the charms of a storytelling session at the Geffrye Museum.

"Entering the writing prize was great discipline, because for student journalists it's important to just get out there and write as much as possible," said Helen.

"There is lots of scope for interviewing, with museum staff and artists willing to talk, and it's a chance to find a different angle to stories."

Last year's winner Helen Barrett.

Entries can of course be about anything happening during Museums and Galleries Month and 24 Hour Museum would strongly recommend that all students get out there and find something - whether it be a review of an exhibition or an event.

The closing date for this year’s competition is June 5 2006 with the prize-winners announced in mid-June.

So, budding Helen Barretts or Maeve Kennedys should take a look at the MGM website to find out what's on in their area and suggest a story idea to 24 HM Editor, Jon Pratty, either by email: editor@24hourmuseum.org.uk or by calling 01273 820052.

Anyone interested in taking part is asked to take a look at the full details and check the prize rules online